The dominating performance of the Seahawks’ offensive line in Sunday’s victory over the Bills caught the Hall of Fame eye of John Madden, who has selected the unit for his weekly “Madden Most Valuable Protectors Award.”

“Seattle has done a good job of controlling the line of scrimmage on a consistent basis,” Madden, who coached the Raiders before becoming an iconic broadcast analyst for NFL games, said in the release announcing the selection.

Left tackle Russell Okung, left guard John Moffitt, center Max Unger, right guard Paul McQuistan and right tackle Breno Giacomini paved the way for the Seahawks to score on their first five possessions – including three rushing touchdowns by quarterback Russell Wilson – in the 50-17 rout of the Bills at Toronto’s Rogers Centre. Marshawn Lynch added a fourth rushing touchdown in the third quarter as the Seahawks ran for 270 yards – including 55 in the fourth quarter, when backup linemen Frank Omiyale, J.R. Sweezy and Lemuel Jeanpierre were on the field.

The Seahawks’ line, which is coached by Tom Cable, is now in the running for the fourth annual yearly award that recognizes what Madden calls “the backbone of every NFL team.”

A recap of the activities at Virginia Mason Athletic Center for Dec. 7:

FOCUS ON

Getting healthier. The Seahawks’ defense got two XXXL pieces of good news today when end Red Bryant and strong safety Kam Chancellor returned to practice after sitting out on Thursday.

Bryant did not practice on Wednesday, either, to rest his sore right foot. He is listed as probable for Sunday’s game against the Cardinals at CenturyLink Field.

“It looks like he’s in good shape to go,” coach Pete Carroll said after the team practiced outside for second time this week.

Chancellor has a groin injury, but he’s also listed as probable.

“We gave him a day off yesterday,” Carroll said. “But he was out there in limited fashion, so he’s probable to play as well.”

WEATHERING THE ELEMENTS

It was cold, breezy and raining during practice, which made for the perfect warm-up for Sunday’s game – when the forecast is calling for temperatures in the 40s and a 50-percent chance of rain. It was even colder and windier, and rained more, during Wednesday’s practice.

“We don’t know what we’re going to get on game day and we had a good day of work yesterday inside, so we got a little bit of the elements out there,” Carroll said. “It was good. It worked out fine.”

POSITION WATCH

Right guard. Rookie J.R. Sweezy and John Moffitt both worked at the spot with the No. 1 offensive line today and each is ready to play against the Cardinals.

“J.R. practiced with the (No. 1 line) quite a bit this week to make sure he’s prepared,” Carroll said. “He and John will play the spot. We’re in good shape there.”

The right guard spot is open because Paul McQuistan has moved back to the left side to replace James Carpenter, who was played on injured reserve this week because of soreness in his surgically repaired right knee.

OPPONENT WATCH

The Cardinals’ defense. Asked after practice what concerned him more – a few players or the scheme – Carroll opted for both.

“Darnell Dockett is really, really a big-time football player,” he said. “Patrick Peterson is as exceptional an athlete as you can get. Adrian Wilson. Those guys are great football players that make things happen and they make game-changing plays.”

And what defensive coordinator Ray Horton is doing with the Pro Bowl end (Dockett), cornerback (Peterson) and Pro Bowl safety (Wilson) allows them to be even more effective. The Cardinals are plus-7 in turnover differential because they have 27 takeaways, including 18 interceptions. They lead the NFC and are third in the league in red-zone defense. They rank No. 7 in total defense.

“The scheme that they have lets those guys get active and get involved,” Carroll said. “The linebacking crew is really fast and aggressive and you’ll see them blitz all day long. It’s a very tough scheme. Their numbers show it.”

INJURY REPORT

The official end-of-the-week status report, as issued by the team:

Out

CB Marcus Trufant (hamstring)

Questionable

LB Leroy Hill (ankle)

Probable

DE Red Bryant (foot)

SS Kam Chancellor (groin)

RB Marshawn Lynch (back)

WR Sidney Rice (head)

C Max Unger (hip)

Trufant was ruled out today because of the pulled hamstring that also forced him to sit out last week’s game against the Bears in Chicago. Walter Thurmond replaced Trufant as the nickel back against the Bears, but he will move to right cornerback this week to replace Brandon Browner, who was suspended four games by the NFL on Wednesday for violating the league policy on performance enhancing substances. Rookie Jeremy Lane will be the nickel back against the Cardinals.

Hill practiced on a limited basis, and Carroll said his status will be a game-day decision. He did not play against the Bears and was replaced by Malcolm Smith.

For the Cardinals:

Doubtful

DE Ronald Talley (ankle)

Questionable

DE Calais Campbell (calf)

QB Kevin Kolb (ribs)

WR Andre Roberts (knee)

RB Chris Wells (knee)

Probable

CB Justin Bethel (shoulder)

WR Early Doucet (ribs)

LS Mike Leach (back)

LB Paris Lenon (shoulder)

S Kerry Rhodes (quadriceps)

CB Greg Toler (knee)

LB Reggie Walker (knee)

Talley did not practice today, while Campbell, Kolb, Roberts and Wells were limited.

STAT DU JOUR, PLAYER EDITION

Against the Bears, rookie QB Russell Wilson ran for 71 yards, the most by a quarterback in franchise history. The effort also left him 45 yards behind Rick Mirer for the most rushing yards in a season by a QB. Here’s a look at where Wilson ranks in both categories:

Single-game rushing

Player (year) Att. Yards Avg.

Russell Wilson (2012) 9 71 7.9

Jim Zorn (1978) 6 63 10.5

Matt Hasselbeck (2002) 6 62 10.3

Single-season rushing

Player (year) Att. Yards Avg. TD

Rick Mirer (1993) 68 343 5.0 3

Russell Wilson (2012) 66 298 4.5 0

Jim Zorn (1978) 59 290 4.9 6

STAT DU JOUR, TEAM EDITION

The Seahawks have traveled an erratic path to reach their 7-5 record. The seven teams that have beaten have a combined record of 45-39. The five teams they have lost to are a combined 26-32-2. Here’s a look at the records of those teams:

Victories

Team (record)

Cowboys (6-6)

Packers (8-4)

Panthers (3-9)

Patriots (9-3)

Vikings (6-6)

Jets (5-7)

Bears (8-4)

Losses

Team (record)

Cardinals (4-8)

Rams (5-6-1)

49ers (8-3-1)

Lions (4-8)

Dolphins (5-7)

UP NEXT

The players will have a walkthrough on Saturday morning, their final on-field session before Sunday’s game against the Cardinals.

The Seahawks are holding their annual Toys for Tots drive at Sunday’s game and asking fans to donate new, unwrapped toys that will be distributed to children for Christmas as part of the nationwide event sponsored by the Marine Corps.

YOU DON’T SAY

“We take them as very, very dangerous. Think about how hungry that football team is to get a win. They’ll do whatever it takes and they have a lot of big-time players that can change games for them. So we respect the heck out of this team.” – Carroll on the Cardinals, who have lost their past eight games

James Carpenter, last year’s first-round draft choice, was placed on the reserve/non-football illness list today, prematurely ending his season for the second year.

Also, wide receiver Braylon Edwards was waived/injured and rookie guard Rishaw Johnson was signed to the 53-man roster from the team’s practice squad.

Carpenter missed the final seven games last season after damaging his left knee during practice.

After playing right tackle last season, Carpenter moved to left guard this year and started seven games. With Carpenter out, John Moffitt will step in at left guard – as he did against the Bears, when Carpenter left early.

Edwards was signed a free agent in late July and caught eight passes for 74 yards and one touchdown in limited action in the Seahawks’ first 12 games. Five of his receptions came in the season opener against the Cardinals.

Johnson has been a member of the practice squad since the day after he was released on the final roster cut in September. He was signed as a free agent following the NFL Draft in April.

A recap of the activities at Virginia Mason Athletic Center for Dec. 3:

FOCUS ON

The fourth quarter. Not of Sunday’s game against the Bears, which went pretty well for the Seahawks in their 23-17 overtime victory at Soldier Field. But the season, which the Seahawks are hoping will go at least as well.

After winning two of their three games in November and starting December with that upset victory, the Seahawks will play three of their final four games at CenturyLink Field, where they are 5-0. Adding intrigue to the already interesting situation is that all three games will be against the other teams from the NFC West who beat the Seahawks on the road earlier this season.

“This is a big deal, this is a really big deal, because it’s the finish,” coach Pete Carroll said during his weekly day-after Q&A session. “The finish is officially on now when you go into these last four weeks.”

The Seahawks enter this last quarter at 7-5, which matches as many wins as they had in each of Carroll’s first two seasons. They trail the 49ers (8-3-1) by 1½ games in the NFC West and hold the No. 2 wild-card spot in the conference playoff picture.

“We’re positioned to do something,” Carroll said. “Now we’ll see if we can get it done.”

First up, Sunday at CenturyLink Field, is a Cardinals team that beat the Seahawks 20-16 in their season opener in Arizona. The Cardinals started 4-0, but have lost eight in a row.

The Seahawks then travel to Toronto to play the Bills (5-7) on Dec. 16 before returning home to host the 49ers on Dec. 23 and the Rams (5-6-1) on Dec. 30.

“This is really what we’ve been preparing for all along, is to finish strong and to see if we can turn in a real great month of execution,” Carroll said. “So we’ll see how far we’ve come. The whole story is going to be told from this point.”

INJURY UPDATES

Left guard James Carpenter has “a little something there” in his surgically repaired left knee, as Carroll put it. Carpenter started but couldn’t finish Sunday’s game and his status for this week is in question. The team’s first-round draft choice last year has had X-rays and a MRI, but the knee continues to bother him.

“He actually felt something different in the game,” Carroll said of Carpenter’s knee, which he had tweaked in previous games. “He felt a little sharp pain during the game that didn’t go away.”

Carpenter missed the final seven games last season after tearing the ACL in his knee during practice.

John Moffitt, last year’s third-round draft choice, stepped in when Carpenter went out.

Also in question is veteran nickel back Marcus Trufant, who missed Sunday’s game after pulling a hamstring in practice last Thursday. Carroll said it will be a challenge to get Trufant back for this week’s game.

“I don’t know where he’ll be by the end of the week, but I know he’s still in rehab now,” Carroll said. “I don’t know what will happen with this, but I wouldn’t be surprised if it’s hard for him to get on the practice field this week.”

Linebacker Leroy Hill also missed the Bears’ game because of a sprained ankle, but Carroll said Hill has a chance to play this week.

Wide receiver Sidney Rice is going through concussion tests after taking a blow to the helmet on this game-winning TD catch against the Bears. Carroll stopped short of saying Rice has a concussion, but the club is being cautious after he missed the last seven games last season after getting multiple concussions.

STAT DU JOUR

What has four arms, four hands, 78 receptions and 14 touchdown catches? That’s too easy. It’s Rice and Golden Tate, the Seahawks’ starting wide receivers. While Rice is the team’s leading receiver, their numbers over the past four games are very similar. Here’s a look at their season totals, as well as those from the past four games:

Season

Player No. Yards Avg. TD

Sidney Rice 43 623 14.5 7

Golden Tate 35 486 13.9 7

Past four games

Player No. Yards Avg. TD

Sidney Rice 15 256 17.1 4

Golden Tate 15 231 15.4 4

This hasn’t happened by accident, as Carroll explained.

“What we did was we really focused in on those two guys,” he said. “We decided to push those guys to the front and see if we couldn’t accelerate the process of the chemistry and just the continuity and the sense and the style. Those guys are uniquely different.

“That was probably one of the best decisions that we’ve made. I think things have really turned out since then. They’ve done a tremendous job. They’ve had great plays, big plays and all kinds of stuff that’s been consistent. You can see the numbers. They’re about paralleling in all areas. They were ready and they’ve come through in a big way.”

UP NEXT

Carroll gave the players Monday off and they’ll have their usual “off” day on Tuesday, before returning on Wednesday to begin practicing for Sunday’s game against the Cardinals.

Moffitt will sign autographs from 6-7 p.m. on Tuesday at the CenturyLink Field Pro Shop.

YOU DON’T SAY

“Drove his team 94 yards in nine plays for a second-quarter touchdown. Drove his team 97 yards in 12 plays for the go-ahead touchdown near the end of regulation. Drove his team 80 yards in 12 plays for the winning touchdown in overtime. On the road, at Soldier Field, against the Bears. When’s the last time an Urlacher team allowed drives as long as 94, 97 and 80 yards for touchdowns in a game? To a rookie quarterback?” – Peter King in selecting Russell Wilson as one of his offensive players of the week in his “Monday Morning Quarterback” at SI.com

CHICAGO – A recap of the Seahawks’ 23-17 overtime victory against the Bears at Soldier Field on Sunday:

PLAYER OF THE GAME

Russell Wilson. How to describe what the Seahawks’ rookie quarterback did against the Bears’ No. 3-ranked defense. Coach Pete Carroll used the work “exquisite,” and that definitely works.

Wilson completed 23 of 37 passes for 293 yards and also ran for 71 yards. But it wasn’t so much what he did as when he did it. Wilson directed a 12-play, 97-yard touchdown drive that was capped by his 14-yard TD pass to Golden Tate with 24 seconds left in regulation. He then led a 12-play, 80-yard touchdown drive in overtime that ended with his 13-yard TD pass to Sidney Rice.

Wow, and double-wow. The passing yards were a season-best for Wilson, as were the rushing yards, and the 97-yard drive was the Seahawks’ longest of the year.

As good as Wilson had been in the past three games, he just seems to be getting better – and making his biggest plays at the most opportune times.

“Russell definitely doesn’t play like a rookie,” Rice said. “A lot of the wins that we’ve got are because of Russell. He’s able to get out of the pocket, scramble to make things happen. We’re glad to have him on the team.”

Added Tate, “Russell does everything perfect. I almost think he’s a perfect person, I really do.”

Wilson wasn’t exactly perfect on this day, but what he did on those last two touchdown drives was exactly what his team needed.

PLAYS OF THE GAME

Offense: The game-winning TD pass from Wilson to Rice, of course. It was a pass play the Seahawks setup with their effective use of the read-option running plays, as Rice duped cornerback Charles Tillman into thinking he was a blocker on the play.

“I came off the ball and made Tillman stop his feet, like I was going to block him,” Rice said. “As soon as he looked inside, I just beat him across the field, threw my hand up in front of me, Russ saw me, touchdown.”

But not without a little pain, and drama. Just as Rice was crossing the goal line, he took a shot to the head from safety Major Wright and lost the ball. The play was reviewed before the Seahawks had their game-winner.

Defense: The Bears were leading 7-0 and had driven from their 12-yard line to the Seahawks’ 15 early in the second quarter. On fourth-and-1, running back Michael Bush leaped over the middle of the line. But instead of getting the needed yard, he ran into middle linebacker Bobby Wagner and was stopped for no gain.

Special teams: Jon Ryan and Jeremy Lane were at it again. On the series following Wagner’s big fourth-down stop, the Seahawks were stopped. But Ryan lofted a 44-yard punt that Lane caught at the Bears’ 5-yard line.

INJURY REPORT

Left guard James Carpenter reinjured the surgically repaired knee that forced him to miss the final seven games of his rookie season in the first half and did not return. He was replaced by John Moffitt, who helped the Seahawks rush for 176 yards.

The Seahawks also played without veteran linebacker Leroy Hill and veteran nickel back Marcus Trufant. Both were among the players named inactive, Hill because of the ankle he sprained in last week’s game against the Dolphins and Trufant because a hamstring began bothering him at the end of Thursday’s practice.

Malcolm Smith started for Hill and had two tackles. Walter Thurmond stepped in for Trufant, in his first action of the season after being activated off the physically-unable-to-perform list last month.

WORTH NOTING

With 87 rushing yards, Marshawn Lynch had more yards against the Bears on Sunday than in his games at Soldier Field the past two seasons combined (85). He also scored his fourth touchdown in those three games, all Seahawk victories.

Rice (six for 99) and Tate (five for 96) just missed giving the Seahawks their first game with two 100-yard receivers since Rice (seven for 102) and Ben Obomanu (four for 107) did it against the Bengals last October.

Despite facing the Bears’ No. 3-ranked defense, the Seahawks compiled a season-high 459 yards. They also had 176 rushing yards, their fourth-highest total of the season; and 25 first downs, their second-highest total. Their three TD drives covered 94, 97 and 80 yards.

Wagner had a game-high 11 tackles, including the Seahawks’ only sack.

For the second consecutive game, Ryan’s average and net average on five punts were the same (39.6 yards). He also had three inside the 20-yard line.

With their seventh victory in their 12th game, the Seahawks have matched their win total from each of Carroll’s first two seasons.

The Bears’ Brandon Marshall had 10 catches for 165 yards, making him the fourth receiver to surpass 100 receiving yards against the Seahawks this season.

YOU DON’T SAY

“The last drive in regulation, the 97-yarder in 12 plays, was just exquisite execution by the quarterback.” – coach Pete Carroll

A recap of the activities at Virginia Mason Athletic Center for Nov. 23:

FOCUS ON

Ready, willing and able. That was the state of the Seahawks after they went through their final full practice today before Sunday’s game against the Dolphins in Miami.

Every member of the 53-man roster practiced and, for the first time this season, all will be available to play against the Dolphins.

“We’re really pleased that we have everybody available,” coach Pete Carroll said. “Sometimes you’re just kind of scrambling to figure out who you’re going to put up, but that’s not the case right now. Our hope is that it keeps us competitive at practice, it keeps everybody busting it and we’re able to practice hard because we have all of our numbers.

“Hopefully all of that adds together and allows us to elevate our play going into this final stage of the season.”

James Carpenter continued to work at left guard with the No. 1 line today after missing the past two games because of a concussion. Carroll said whether Carpenter or John Moffitt starts will be a game-day decision.

Defensive end Red Bryant returned to practice after sitting out on Thursday to rest a sore foot, and Carroll said it looks like Bryant will be able to play.

PLAYER WATCH

Richard Sherman and Kam Chancellor. Adam Schefter at ESPN.com looks at the “10 best bargains” in the league in his weekly “10 Spot,” and he includes the Seahawks’ left cornerback and strong safety. Here’s his take on each:

Sherman: “ESPN analyst Ron Jaworski said last week that Sherman has developed into “the best shutdown corner in the NFL right now.”

Chancellor: “If Sherman is the game’s best shutdown corner, Chancellor might be the best shutdown safety, one of the hardest-hitting players in the league.”

OPPONENT WATCH

This time, it’s from an opponent – although a familiar one to Carroll. Reggie Bush, the Dolphins’ leading rusher, played for Carroll at USC. Here’s what Bush had to say when asked what about the Seahawks has Carroll’s stamp on it:

“Yeah, I think it’s a little bit of everything – speed, they play well together, play well within the scheme and obviously, from the defense’s standpoint, they’re bringing a lot of different pressure, exotic front, creating turnovers and just making plays when they have to. And winning games when they have to. That’s kind of coach Carroll’s signature.”

INJURY REPORT

The official end-of-the-week status report, as issued by the team:

Probable

DE Red Bryant (foot)

OG James Carpenter (concussion)

RB Marshawn Lynch (back)

DE Greg Scruggs (oblique)

CB Byron Maxwell (hamstring)

DT Clinton McDonald (groin)

LB K.J. Wright (concussion)

For the Dolphins:

Questionable

LB Austin Spitler (ankle)

Probable

LB Karlos Dansby (biceps)

P Brandon Fields (left knee)

C Mike Pouncey (ankle)

S Jimmy Wilson (ribs)

TE Anthony Fasano (hip)

STAT DU JOUR

Sunday’s game features two of the quarterbacks selected in April’s NFL Draft – and two of the seven who could or have started this week – in the Seahawks’ Russell Wilson (third round, 75th overall) and the Dolphins’ Ryan Tannehill (first round, eighth pick overall). The disparity in their statistics entering this game is even greater when dealing only with their fourth-quarter efforts. Here’s a look at the numbers for each player:

Overall

Player Att. Comp. Pct. Yards TD Int. Rating (NFL rank)

Russell Wilson 253 157 64.2 1,827 15 8 90.5 (12th)

Ryan Tannehill 308 179 58.1 2,120 6 11 70.3 (30th)

Fourth quarter

Player Att. Comp. Pct. Yards TD Int. Rating

Russell Wilson 77 44 57.1 559 5 1 96.2 (6th)

Ryan Tannehill 94 50 53.2 644 3 3 72.3 (29th)

UP NEXT

The team flew to Fort Lauderdale following a mid-day practice and will hold a walkthrough there on Saturday.

YOU DON’T SAY

“I’m looking forward to getting the win. That’s what I’m looking forward to. I’m not so worried about who’s on the other side of the field. This game is really going to come down to our ability to execute and just finding a way to win this game, getting better as a team, running the ball better, passing the ball better, just executing in all phases of the game.” – Bush when asked if he was looking forward to playing against his college coach

A recap of the activities at Virginia Mason Athletic Center for Nov. 21:

FOCUS ON

Marshawn Lynch

Marshawn Lynch. When it comes to the Seahawks’ workhorse running back, just how much work is too much work?

One of the reasons the team selected Robert Turbin in the fourth round of April’s NFL Draft was to provide a back to spell Lynch. But as the Seahawks prepare for Sunday’s game against the Dolphins in Miami, only the Texans’ Arian Foster has more carries (249) than Lynch (212).

Asked about limiting Lynch’s carries during his midday Q&A session with the media, coach Pete Carroll said, “I just stopped him and asked him how old he was today. I said, ‘What are you, 27?’ He said, ‘I’m 26, I won’t be 27 until next April.’

“We’ve got to load him up. We’re taking it too easy on this guy. He’s a young man. So I think it’s the other way around – we need to give him some more carries.”

Asked after practice about Carroll joking that he might want to give the ball to Lynch even more, offensive coordinator Darrell Bevell smiled and offered, “He was joking?”

When the laughter subsided, Bevell added, “We do (have to watch his number of carries). But Marshawn is just going to keep going. He’s not going to turn it down. He’ll take it every time. We have to be able to mix Robert in there. But when it comes time, when it’s crunch time during a game, we want 24 out there. We want to hand him the ball. We want to give it to him and see what he can do.”

And that’s almost always something positive, and often jaw-dropping. Lynch not only has the second-most carries in the league, he has the second-most rushing yards (1,005).

“He’s going to scratch and claw for every inch that he gets,” Bevell said. “He’s going to break tackles. He’s going to make 2-yard runs into 10-yard runs. I’m asking, ‘Where’s he down?’ They’re like, ‘He’s still running.’ ”

And running. And running. And running some more. The only time Lynch isn’t forcing the issue is when he is being forced to take a play or two off. Then he trudges to the sideline.

“That’s his slow-poke walk,” fullback Michael Robinson said. “That boy can run the ball, and I just like to do everything I can to make sure he gets to the second level. Once he gets to the second level, that’s where he makes the big money.”

POSITION WATCH

Left guard. James Carpenter returned to practice today for the first time since getting a concussion that forced him to sit out the pre-bye games against the Vikings and Jets. But John Moffitt continued to work at left guard with the No. 1 line in practice.

Carpenter got his limited reps with the No. 2 line that also included Frank Omiyale at left tackle, Lemuel Jeanpierre at center and guard J.R. Sweezy and tackle Mike Person on the right side.

“We’ll see how Carp handles it,” Carroll said. “We’re anxious to see him get back out there.”

As to whether Carpenter will step back in as the starter this week, Carroll said, “We’ll see. We’ll see how the week goes. We’ll see what happens. I just want to take it one day at a time.”

OPPONENT WATCH

Cameron Wake (AP Photo/Kevin Terrell)

Cameron Wake. “Who?” says the look that washed across Robinson’s face. He and Wake played together at Penn State. But that’s also when Wake went by Derek, his first name.

“Derek. Derek. His name is Derek,” Robinson said when asked about Cameron Wake. “I don’t know Cam. You all laugh, but I’m so serious. I don’t know who that is. His name is Derek.”

By any name, Wake has the ability to get to the quarterback. The Dolphins’ defensive end has 9.5 sacks this season and 37.5 since making the jump from the CFL to the NFL in 2009.

“He’s really good,” Carroll said. “He’s powerful. He’s a natural athlete. He’s got great length. And he has a good motor, too; he’s bringing it all the time. He’s really a classic, big-time rusher. He’s a problem. He’s just as natural as you can be at bringing the heat.”

Wake said during a conference-call interview today that he’s looking forward to being able to finally hit Robinson on Sunday, because he wasn’t allowed to do it while Robinson was playing quarterback at Penn State.

Told that, Robinson offered a look that screamed, “Please.”

“He had his chances, OK, to hit me in college and he just couldn’t do it,” Robinson said. “It wasn’t my fault. I ran the ball and he had to get his feet together to get me. But he couldn’t do that.”

Robinson then shifted into a more serious gear before continuing. “It will definitely be fun to play against him,” he said. “Derek’s a great kid. He’s worked hard to get to where he is. I’m glad to see that he’s had success. He’s always been physically a man-child.”

MARTIN UP, LOUKS IN

Wide receiver Charly Martin rejoined the 53-man roster today, filling the spot that opened when rookie safety Winston Guy was given a four-game suspension by the league on Tuesday.

To fill Martin’s spot on the practice squad, wide receiver Corbin Louks was signed to the practice squad. Louks ran the 40-yard dash in 4.39 seconds during his Pro Day workout at Nevada, where he also played running back – a role he stepped into immediately on the scout team that works against the Seahawks’ defense.

INJURY REPORT

The official practice participation report, as issued by the team:

Limited participation

OG James Carpenter (concussion)

Full participation

RB Marshawn Lynch (back)

DE Greg Scruggs (oblique)

CB Byron Maxwell (hamstring)

DT Clinton McDonald (groin)

LB K.J. Wright (concussion)

For the Dolphins:

Did not practice

LB Austin Spitler (ankle)

Full participation

LB Karlos Dansby (biceps)

P Brandon Fields (left knee)

C Mike Pouncey (ankle)

S Jimmy Wilson (ribs)

STAT DU JOUR

We’ve used this before, but it doesn’t lessen the impact of just what Lynch has done since Week 9 of last season – which is run for 305 more yards than any other back in the NFL. It’s a tribute to not only his productivity, but his durability. Here’s a look at Lynch’s 19-game totals, and those backs who continue to chase him:

Player, team Att. Yards Avg. TD

Marshawn Lynch, Seahawks 423 1,946 4.6 14

Arian Foster, Texans 392 1,641 4.2 16

Chris Johnson, Titans 325 1,607 4.9 7

Ray Rice, Ravens 340 1,572 4.6 14

UP NEXT

Thanksgiving Day, of course, but also “Turnover Thursday.” Practice will start earlier and there are no post-practice meetings so the players can celebrate the holiday with family and friends.

The players also will practice Friday before the team flies to Florida for Sunday’s game against the Dolphins.

YOU DON’T SAY

“Joyous, humble and committed to his community – that’s Marshawn Lynch off the field. On it? You better strap in or get out of the way. With four straight 100-yard games, he’s averaged even better stats in the second half of games than in the first.” – Sports Illustrated in a “Back to Backs” feature in this week’s issue

A recap of the activities at Virginia Mason Athletic Center for Nov. 12:

FOCUS ON

Rest and rehabilitation. That’s the focus for the week, not just the day, as coach Pete Carroll has given his players the rest of the week off during their bye.

There were other options, although limited, but none as appealing – and appropriate – as allowing the players some downtime before they return next Monday to begin preparing for the Nov. 25 game against the Dolphins in Miami.

“Taking everything into account, and the fact we’ve got to give them four days off (under the new CBA), it really doesn’t give you many options,” said Carroll, who was loose and relaxed as he looked toward his bye week as well.

“I didn’t feel like it was going to worth enough for what we could gain (in practicing).”

So he opted for rest and rehabilitation – although the players did leave today after a series of meetings with workout plans for Wednesday and Friday.

“Wherever they are,” Carroll said. “But I really don’t want them to try and do very much in terms of conditioning or strength work. We talked to them about, ‘Don’t go back to your guru workout guy and start carrying sandbags up hills.’ We’ve given them pretty strict guidelines.”

But Carroll also feels that the players have earned this break.

“I do feel good about where we’re going,” said Carroll, and he wasn’t talking about the trip to Miami. “We have worked really hard and the guys have performed very consistently. They’ve done everything we’ve asked them to do in terms of the prep and the focus and bringing it week in and week out.”

With Carroll’s trust comes the need for reciprocal trust from the players.

“Now we do have to see how we respond to the break,” he said. “But the motivation for me is that I believe these guys get it and they understand what we’re trying to get done. Now we have to prove that by how we perform next week.”

TAKING THE FOURTH

After controlling the ball for 12 minutes, 10 seconds of the fourth quarter in their victory over the Vikings last week, the Seahawks held it for 12:05 against the Jets in final quarter.

“The highlight to me is that we again finished really well,” Carroll said. “We had the ball for over 12 minutes in the fourth quarter and ran the ball like crazy, and owned it, and scored a couple touchdowns, and finished really well – the way that we like to.

“So that’s a couple weeks in a row of really good, solid ball; playing in kind of the formula that we would like to play in. It was great to do it here at home.”

Against the Vikings, Russell Wilson completed 4 of 6 passes for 58 yards, while Marshawn Lynch carried for 23 of the team’s 43 rushing yards in the fourth quarter. Sunday, Lynch averaged 10 yards on six carries, while Wilson was 3 of 3 for 55 yards as the Seahawks scored two fourth-quarter touchdowns – one on Wilson’s beautifully thrown 31-yard pass to Sidney Rice; the other, again to Rice, on a 23-yard pass by wide receiver Golden Tate.

INJURY REPORT

The Seahawks have played the past two games without left guard James Carpenter, and all of Sunday’s game against the Jets and most of last week’s game against the Vikings without strongside linebacker K.J. Wright. But Carroll expects both concussed players to be back for practice next Monday.

In fact, he is anticipating just about all players to practice next week, after as many as eight sat out last week.

“When we get back to work, we’ll have almost everybody,” Carroll said. “That’s a really good note this late in the season. We’ll have a bunch of guys who should feel rested, but then also to get the guys back from the head knocks they’ve had and the bumps and the bruises, we’re going to be pretty solid as we go into the Miami game.”

Carroll also said that Carpenter and John Moffitt, who has replaced him the past two games, would compete for the left guard spot in practice. But he then added, “Carp, if he feels good and he’s right, we’d like to get him back in there.”

STATS ’N STUFF

Lynch is second in the NFL in rushing yards (1,005) – 123 behind the Vikings’ Adrian Peterson and 133 yards ahead of the Texans’ Arian Foster. Lynch also is third in the league in total yards (1,142) and tied for sixth in first downs (49).

Wilson has jumped to 12th in the league in passer rating (90.5), but he’s No. 6 in fourth-quarter passer rating (96.2). Wilson also has become the first rookie QB to win his first five home games since the NFL/AFL merger in 1970.

Jon Ryan is third in the league in punting average (49.0) and fourth in net average (42.5), while Leon Washington is eighth in kickoff return average (28.3).

Cornerback Richard Sherman is tied for third in interceptions (four), while ends Chris Clemons and Bruce Irvin are tied for 10th in sacks (seven). Irvin, who had two sacks against the Jets, leads all NFL rookies.

Rookie middle linebacker Bobby Wagner continues to lead the team in tackles (81), while Heath Farwell has 10 coverage tackles to lead the special teams.

STAT DU JOUR

With 1,005 rushing yards after 10 games, Lynch is on pace for the third-best season total in franchise history (1,608). The only back with more yards in a single season is all-time leading rusher Shaun Alexander, who had a club-record 1,880 in 2005 and 1,696 in 2004. Here’s how Lynch’s 10-game totals compare to those of Alexander in ’04 and ’05:

Player (year) Att. Yards Avg. 100 TD

Marshawn Lynch (2012) 212 1,005 4.7 6 5

Shaun Alexander (2005) 232 1,229 5.3 7 19

Shaun Alexander (2004) 224 1,151 5.1 5 10

UP NEXT

With the players off until next Monday, Hawkville also will go on hiatus for the rest of the week.

While the focus needs to remain on the Dolphins, Carroll stressed, he is aware of what awaits the team after its post-bye trips to Miami and Chicago – not only three of four at home to close the regular season, but three games at CenturyLink Field against the NFC West rivals who beat the Seahawks on the road in the first seven weeks of the season.

“It’s going to be a great finish in terms of the division,” Carroll said. “Because of our failures early, each one of those games is going to mean a ton to us as we finish the season.”

YOU DON’T SAY

“Marshawn Lynch, 27 carries for 124 yards. And we hardly noticed. We take his greatness for granted too much.” – Peter King in the “What I Liked” section of his Monday Morning Quarterback at SI.com

Good morning, and here’s what’s “out there” the day after the Seahawks’ 28-7 home win over the New York Jets.

Steve Kelley of the Seattle Times highlights Marshawn Lynch’s 27-carry, 124-yard day, “Lynch, 26, is the attention-getter who makes Wilson’s play-fakes work. He is the big back who defenses have to honor. And he is a presence in the backfield, picking up blitzers, buying time for Wilson, keeping him upright. Lynch is the definition of a north-south runner. He is the 2-yard run that he turns into an 8-yard gain. He is the epicenter of the quake. The unseen force in the middle of the mob, somehow moving a pile of 300-pounders. He is the reason that in this pass-first league, the Seahawks run first. This was his fourth consecutive plus-100-yard rushing game and this is the second consecutive season he has rushed for more than 1,000 yards. ‘With Marshawn, it starts with his attitude,’ backup running back and kick returner Leon Washington said. ‘When he comes to work, he comes to work. No one man can tackle him. He has this willingness to fight for the team. Even when he’s banged up he still goes out there and lays it on the line. I’m telling you, if he stays healthy and keeps rolling, he can be one of the best backs the league has ever seen.’ ”

Jerry Brewer of the Seattle Times calls attention to Golden Tate’s memorable performance against the Jets, “Seahawks coach Pete Carroll, who has taken special interest in Tate this season, called Tate’s hurdling first down ‘maybe the best play we’ve had this year.’ Even if you think Tate is too much of a showman, there’s no denying that he’ll sacrifice himself to make a play. He avoided disaster on a crazy flip into the end zone last week against Minnesota. He went airborne again Sunday. He’s nuts, but at least he’s channeling it properly. ‘I’m going to put my body on the line,’ Tate said. ‘I want to win that bad.’ ”

Danny O’Neil of the Seattle Times recaps yesterday’s contest, which moved the Seahawks to 5-0 at CenturyLink Field this season, “It was the third time this season Seattle did not allow an offensive touchdown. ‘A testament to the entire defense,’ Sherman said. It was impressive, from the front four, which included Brandon Mebane making six tackles — remarkable for a defensive tackle — to rookie Bruce Irvin recording two sacks to Mike Morgan stepping in for K.J. Wright at strongside linebacker. Wright was out because of a concussion, and Morgan did his best to make sure no one noticed Seattle was missing one of its best defenders. ‘Michael Morgan fit in,’ coach Pete Carroll said, ‘Playing without K.J. is a big deal for us. I think that was a big statement, and we did take a step forward this week.’ ”

O’Neil notes the Seahawks were able to overcome some early mistakes in yesterday’s victory, “As he [Wilson] attempted to evade the Jets’ pass rush in the first quarter, he had the ball stripped by Mike DeVito. The fumble was fielded on one hop by defensive tackle Muhammad Wilkerson and returned 21 yards for the Jets’ only touchdown. ‘I was trying to get ready to go down,’ Wilson said, ‘and the guy just hit the ball out. It was a good play by them.’ And part of a ragged first half for Wilson, who was sacked three times and at times threatened to make a bad situation worse by trying to scramble away from the pressure. ‘He tried a little bit too hard,’ coach Pete Carroll said. ‘He has to get down and protect the football first.’ There were no problems when Wilson threw the ball, though. He was 12-for-19 passing for 188 yards and threw a TD to Golden Tate in the first quarter and to Sidney Rice in the fourth.”

O’Neil also names cornerback Richard Sherman, wide receiver Golden Tate, and running back Marshawn Lynch his players of the game in his Two-Minute Drill.

Dave Boling of the Tacoma News Tribune has his take on the maturation of Tate, “Tate’s showy performance is no surprise to fullback Michael Robinson. ‘What Golden is doing now, we’ve been seeing the last two years in practice,’ Robinson said. ‘It just took him a while to make sure he really knows his offense and make sure he can make all the adjustments. I mean … he’s still a young guy.’ Yes, he’s young (24), but obviously maturing into the job. ‘Just get me the ball anyway you can … in the backfield, a reverse, a pass, whatever it is,’ Tate said. ‘My mindset is any time I get the ball, I can make something special happen; a touchdown, a big first down in a crucial moment, a big gain … I want to make the most of every single ball that comes my way.’ Golden Tate has earned their trust. He’s done it by never forgetting how bad it felt to be without it.”

John McGrath of the Tacoma News Tribune has a break down of Sherman’s sack and forced fumble of Jets quarterback Mark Sanchez – Sherman’s first career sack, “Facing a first-and-10 on an infrequent foray into Seattle territory, the Jets had brought in 6-5, 308-pound offensive tackle Jason Smith as a third tight end. Sherman realized the big fella’s chance at being used as a pass target was about as slim as Jets coach Rex Ryan becoming the next director of the CIA. ‘So instead of covering,’ Sherman said, ‘I blitzed, and nobody was there to pick me up. We haven’t seen that look since maybe the first day of camp. It’s one of those looks you rarely get because there is rarely a time you’re going to have a tackle lined up as a tight end who you know for sure is going to stay in and block. It just happened to be the luck of the draw.’ ”

Eric Williams of the Tacoma News Tribune has his game story from yesterday, “Lynch now has 1,005 yards for the season. He also tied a franchise record by rushing for more than 100 yards for a fourth straight game. Shaun Alexander set the mark during the 2005 season. Lynch has rushed for more than 100 yards six times this season. The Seahawks are 3-3 in those games. Lynch declined to talk with reporters after the game, letting his teammates gush over his performance instead. ‘It feels good, man,’ Seattle offensive tackle Breno Giacomini said. ‘It’s kind of cool, but we’re not done. We want more. We always want more, but at least he’s there right now, and we’ll keep getting better, and hopefully keep unleashing him.’ ”

Mike Salk of 710Sports.com credits Seahawks offensive coordinator Darrell Bevell for a well-called game, “The Seahawks offensive coordinator has a tough gig, even tougher if you are looking for creativity. His offense is built around a power running game. His best player is a running back. His offensive line is effective at run blocking but leaky in pass protection. And he coaches in a league that doesn’t exactly value those traits. But he has a few assets. His head coach is willing to give him some latitude and his quarterback is nimble, smart and calm. So, it’s on Bevell to create something to take advantage of those assets and mask some of his team’s deficiencies. By using the zone-read option, he has done that.”

Brady Henderson of 710Sports.com recaps the big days for the wide receiver duo of Tate and Rice, “Rice and Tate were all smiles after combining for three of the Seahawks’ four touchdowns during their 28-7 rout of the Jets on Sunday at CenturyLink Field. Each receiver had already caught a scoring pass from Russell Wilson before the Seahawks used a trick play in the fourth quarter that had Tate throwing to a wide open Rice in the back of the end zone – once he finally got a grip on the ball.”

Henderson also has a few quick notes following yesterday’s win, “The Seahawks will head into the bye week at 6-4 overall and 5-0 at home thanks to a dominant defensive performance and an offense that overcame some early mistakes from quarterback Russell Wilson. Seattle’s defense gets a shutout — impressive even though it came against a lousy offense — and a reprieve from questions about some struggles in recent weeks. Their offense scored at least 28 points for the third consecutive week.”

Tim Booth of the Associated Press has his game story, “While the pass game provided many of Seattle’s highlights, it was a recommitment to the run at halftime that was behind the Seahawks dominant second half. Lynch had 85 yards on 13 carries in the second half after assistant head coach Tom Cable told his offensive line at halftime they were going to pound the ball with the Seahawks bruising back. ‘I don’t think we did anything special. We just fit our blocks better and focused on the basics,’ Seattle offensive lineman John Moffitt said.”

Doug Farrar of YahooSports.com names Seahawks general manager John Schneider one of his Week 10 MVPs, “When Schneider put together his 2012 draft, there were some pretty serious questions about what the heck he was thinking. Schneider is the engine behind Pete Carroll’s high-velocity style, and he gave his coach some unexpected gifts. Nobody expected the Seahawks to take West Virginia pass rusher Bruce Irvin with the 15th pick in this draft, but Irvin currently leads all rookie defenders with seven sacks. That’s one more than New England’s Chandler Jones has, and four more than any other first-year sack artist. In the third round, Schneider took advantage of his Wisconsin connections and selected a short quarterback named Russell Wilson, who went into Seattle’s preseason as a possible third QB and won the job outright by the end of the preseason. In an NFL with five-first-year starters, Wilson now leads all rookie quarterbacks with 15 passing touchdowns, and he’s second to Robert Griffin III in rookie passer rating. Schneider has put together three very impressive drafts since Carroll asked him to ride shotgun, and those in the know understand that he’s become one of the league’s most astute personnel evaluators.”

Farrar also recaps the Seahawks’ 28-7 win over the Jets, “How does Pete Carroll feel? Eminently satisfied. The 6-4 Seahawks go into their bye week with all the momentum he would want, and with a lot of confirmation for their coach. ‘This was a big day for us,’ he said. ‘We came to this break, two games into the second half, and we wanted to get these two wins and get on this break and make sure we rest our football team and get ready for the final push. We get to do it with the right feeling, and we’re going to try to maximize this time to get well, get our guys all healthy, come back and get on the road again for a couple of weeks and see what we can do with it. I’m real pleased. It was a great stadium, we had some rain to make it typical and classy for us. Everything about it was a good day today, so I liked it.’ What’s not to like?”

Art Thiel of SportsPressNW.com has his gamer from yesterday, “Aside from a spectacular run last week by Minnesota’s Adrian Peterson, the Seahawks the last two games have returned to early season form. The Jets had 185 yards total offense and went scoreless, the only New York points coming on a first-quarter strip sack of Wilson that 315-pound defensive end Muhammad Wilkerson turned into a 21-yard fumble return TD.”

Mike Sando of ESPN.com has his wrap-up following the Seahawks’ Week 10 win, “What it means: The Seahawks improved to 6-4, keeping themselves in good position to push for a playoff spot. The San Francisco 49ers’ struggles against St. Louis down the West Coast opened the door for questions about the Seahawks pushing not just for a wild-card berth, but possibly for a division title. The Seahawks take a two-game winning streak into their bye week and need just one more victory to match their season totals for 2010 and 2011.”

A recap of the activities at Virginia Mason Athletic Center for Nov. 9:

FOCUS ON

Injuries. The good, as running back Marshawn Lynch, defensive linemen Red Bryant and Clinton McDonald, cornerback Richard Sherman and strong Kam Chancellor returned to practice today. But also the not so good, as linebacker K.J. Wright and left guard James Carpenter were ruled out for Sunday’s game against the Jets at CenturyLink Field.

Wright and Carpenter will miss the game because of concussions they got last week. But the others are expected to play after missing time this week with an assortment of injuries and ailments.

“This is the biggest challenge we’ve had,” coach Pete Carroll said after practice. “We’ve had some guys in and out, not sure whether they could go. Missing a front-line player like K.J., that’s a big deal to us.

“But it’s not about who’s stepping down, it’s who’s stepping up.”

That would be second-year linebacker Mike Morgan for Wright, as he did after the Seahawks’ leading tackler was injured on the first play of last week’s game against the Vikings; and John Moffitt for Carpenter, as he did last week as well because Carpenter also was ruled out last Friday because of a concussion he got earlier in the week.

“We’ll focus on expecting all the good stuff to happen and keep our level of play up,” Carroll said. “But this is a natural challenge for a football season. These things happen.”

BOWLING AND BILLIARDS

Cornerback Marcus Trufant is holding his annual Bowling and Billiards Classic at ACME Bowl and Events in Tukwila on Monday from 5:30-10 p.m. The event, sponsored by the Trufant Family Foundation, raises money for youth programs in the area.

But why bowling and billiards? “It was actually put on before I got here, Shawn Springs used to do it,” Trufant said of the former Seahawks cornerback. “I kind of just took it over.”

This will be the ninth event sponsored by Trufant, and he likes the format because it allows his teammates and fans to participate for the good cause.

“It’s a good deal,” he said. “The fans get to come out and see the guys in a different element.”

A month ago, the Seahawks were among the least productive teams in the league when it came to red-zone possessions – especially scoring touchdowns inside the 20-yard line. But in their past four games, they have scored on 12 of 13 red-zone possessions, including eight touchdowns. Here’s how they’ve done it:

New England: 3 of 3

Steven Hauschka 34-yard field goal

Russell Wilson 24-yard TD pass to Doug Baldwin

Russell Wilson 10-yard TD pass to Braylon Edwards

San Francisco: 1 of 1

Steven Hauschka 35-yard field goal

Detroit: 3 of 3

Steven Hauschka 23-yard field goal

Russell Wilson 9-yard TD pass to Sidney Rice

Russell Wilson 16-yard TD pass to Zach Miller

Minnesota: 5 of 6

Russell Wilson 6-yard TD pass to Golden Tate

Russell Wilson 11-yard TD pass to Sidney Rice

Russell Wilson 11-yard TD pass to Golden Tate

Marshawn Lynch 3-yard TD run

Steve Hauschka 40-yard field goal

End of game

UP NEXT

The players will hold a walkthrough on Saturday morning, their final on-field session before Sunday’s game.

The Seahawks will recognize Veterans Day and honor the military on Sunday with a “Salute to Service.” Joe Moser, a World War II fighter pilot and native of Ferndale, will raise the 12th Man Flag above the south end zone prior to kickoff.

“We’ve always tried to do everything we can to recognize the service men and women,” Carroll said. “It’s really cool when we can do that. We think the world of the work and the time that they put in and the freedom they give us. Hopefully it will be a big day for everybody.”

YOU DON’T SAY

“We knew about him and liked him. He’s proving he’s a complete quarterback. He just happens to be not as tall as your prototype (quarterback). He was a proven winner in college and he’s showing it in the NFL. You can tell he’s very savvy. He knows where to go with the football. He can make plays in and out of the pocket. He’s very dangerous when he gets out and he can make guys miss. They’re starting to run some zone-read stuff with him, which is another element that is dangerous. We’re fortunate that we’ve seen a lot of that in camps with what we’ve done with Tim (Tebow). That’s always something that you have to be prepared for.” – Jets defensive coordinator Mike Pettine, to the Newark Star-Ledger, on Seahawks QB Russell Wilson; adding the senior personnel executive Terry Bradway was so high on Wilson before the NFL Draft that it earned the QB the nickname “Russell Bradway” around the organization